What Are Friends For?
by thisiswhereIkeepmyfics
Summary: Set after Survivors, my take on what happened after Iain ignored Rita's text. Mainly Rita/Zoe but there may be a little bit of Riain in there too.
This is just a little idea I had after last night's episode, It's mainly Rita/Zoe because I love their friendship, but I may have sneaked in a tiny bit of Riain because, let's face it, Iain was a bit of an idiot last night and he needs to make up for that!

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Rita sighed as she heard a knock on her door, she wiped her eyes on the back of her hand before reluctantly pulling herself to her feet, half hoping Iain had got bored in the pub and decided to come over. She was wrong.

"Oh Rita" Zoe sighed when she saw her friend, Rita had changed almost as soon as she'd got home and was now dressed in her favourite, grey and pink, checked pyjama bottoms, and a hoodie of Iain's that almost swallowed her and it was obvious that she'd been crying. "You looked like you might need this" she said, reaching into the bag she was carrying and pulling out a family sized bar of galaxy, "and something more exciting than a cup of tea."

"Zoe I…" Rita had been lying if she said she hadn't thought about alcohol many times over the course of the day but so far she'd managed to resist, she knew if she started drinking she wouldn't be able to stop.

"Don't worry Rita" Zoe smiled, rummaging in the bag for a moment before producing a jar of expensive hot chocolate powder, "I've even got cream and marshmallows."

Rita laughed softly, "you'd better come in then."

Zoe smiled and followed Rita into the living room, shaking her head, "if we're doing this then we're doing it properly. I'll stick the kettle on, you get your duvet and find us a chick flick."

"Dirty Dancing or Breakfast at Tiffany's?" Rita asked Zoe as the doctor came into the room with two mugs of steaming hot chocolate, both topped with hot chocolate, marshmallows and a flake.

"Oooh, tough choice but I think it's got to be Breakfast at Tiffany's" she said as she put the mugs down on the coffee table before picking up the bag she'd brought with her, taking out several packs of biscuits to go with the large bar of galaxy. She waited for Rita to put the DVD on and get settled under the duvet before passing her a mug and settling herself down at the opposite end of the sofa to the nurse.

They sat in silence until Rita leaned forward to put her empty mug on the table, the biscuits and chocolate laying on top of the duvet between them, "thanks for coming round" Rita said quietly as she sat back and picked up a square of the chocolate, "I erm, I didn't really fancy being on my own."

"It's okay" Zoe said softly, she'd seen how hard Rita was trying to hold back her tears as she left the hospital, she'd seen her pause outside the pub before walking straight past, "I know I said that a lager and a kebab is sometimes all you need but it's not always what you want is it?"

Rita shook her head as her tears once again began rolling down her cheeks, she had no idea how she'd even managed to make it home without sobbing in the street, "I'm sorry" she whispered, wiping frantically at her eyes.

"Hey no" Zoe moved the chocolate and the biscuits to the coffee table so she could hug Rita, "if you need to cry then cry, I'm not going to judge you, you've had a hell of a day Rita, God, no, don't apologise, I'd rather you cried than tried to bottle everything up."

"I just wanted Iain" Rita whispered, her tears refusing to stop falling, "I just wanted him to hold me and kiss me and tell me it'll be okay but he went to the pub, he went to the pub, he didn't… I needed him Zoe and he didn't want to know."

"I'm sure that's not true Rita" Zoe said softly.

"I text him when he was in the pub, I thought if I joined him for last orders we could go home together and, I don't know, at least I'd be with him."

"Maybe he didn't see his text, you know how loud it can get in there, he might not have heard it."

"He was sat in the window" Rita whispered, "I saw him read the message and then put his phone back down, if he'd have thought he was going to get some he'd have been straight round." she looked up at Zoe, her eyes shining with unshed tears, "what's wrong with me Zoe?"

"Nothing's wrong with you Rita, nothing at all."

"There must be" she whispered, "Mark chose a 13 year old over me and Iain, he only seems to be interested in sex, I just want someone who's going to love me Zoe, someone who might choose me over the pub when I've had a crap day."

"Iain does love you Rita, but he's a man. Sometimes they're completely oblivious to what's happening right in front of them, sometimes you need to say to them, 'I've had a bad day and what I really want is to cuddle up with you at home'."

"I don't want him to think I'm being too clingy."

"You're not" Zoe said simply, "it's not clingy to admit to needing some TLC now and again, I mean, I'm sure even Iain could manage cuddles and a bubble bath." Rita just shrugged, tears still pouring down her cheeks, "why don't you give him a ring?" Zoe suggested

Rita shook her head, "maybe in the morning." She knew Zoe was right, that if she'd told Iain what had happened, if she'd have asked him to stay with her, he probably would have but right now she was tired, scared and upset and she wanted Iain to realise that on his own.

"Okay" Zoe nodded, "now, green's not my colour at all but I don't mind staying as long as you need me to, I'll give you as many hugs as you want and tell you over and over that you're strong, in a few months you'll have moved on from this and you will be absolutely fine." She said, remembering what Rita had said earlier, "oh and…" she turned her head to peck Rita's cheek twice, "there are your kisses."

Rita laughed even though Zoe's actions had caused another wave of tears to fall, "thanks Zoe."

"What are friends for eh?" Zoe smiled as she settled back against the sofa to watch the rest of the film with Rita.

It didn't take long for the day's events to catch up with Rita, and she fell asleep before the film ended. Zoe watched her sleeping for a while before noticing Rita's phone on the edge of the coffee table. She picked it up and found Iain's number easily, copying it onto her own phone before taking her cigarettes and lighter from her handbag and making her way through Rita's kitchen and into her back garden.

She lit up a cigarette before pressing call, Iain answering surprisingly quickly, "Iain, it's Zoe" she told him, "are you busy?"

"No, I've just got into bed why?"

"I'm at Rita's, she's had a really shit day. I think she was counting on a bit of moral support from her boyfriend."

"Why, what happened? She didn't say owt."

Zoe sighed and took a drag on her cigarette, "it's not really my place to tell you what happened and I think she was hoping you'd realise she needed you without saying anything but if you really care about her, if you really love her then you'll come round. You won't ask any questions or force her to tell you what's wrong but you'll hold her and you'll let her cry if that's what she needs to do."

Iain didn't reply for a moment and all Zoe could hear was a quiet shuffling noise before Iain finally spoke again, "I'm on my way."

He let himself into Rita's house less than 15 minutes later to find her still asleep on the sofa, "I'll leave you to it" Zoe said softly, "but remember what I said, let her tell you in her own time."

Iain nodded and saw Zoe out and checked the door was locked before kneeling down beside the sofa, brushing Rita's hair back from her face and softly kissing her forehead, "hey" he said softly as her eyes fluttered open.

"Iain?" she frowned sleepily.

"Yeah, look, I'm sorry about earlier, I should probably have blown off the pub and come home with you."

"I've had a really bad day Iain." Rita whispered, her eyes filling with tears again.

"I know" Iain said softly, "budge up a bit." Rita rolled into her side on the sofa creating just enough room for Iain to lay beside her but it wasn't enough for him. He carefully put his hands on her waist, pulling her with him as he rolled onto his back, Rita ending up laid on her stomach against his chest, "that's better" he smiled as he kissed her forehead again. It was too much for Rita, the smell of Iain's aftershave, the feel of his fingers gently running up and down her back had her sobbing once again. Iain didn't falter though, he kept rubbing her back, kissing her forehead and talking quietly to her, "I love you" he told her softly, "you're okay, I've got you and I'm not going anywhere."


End file.
